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 Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 9:26 am
She had asked for a week. One week, and Riley would be able to walk freely in Halloween. In exchange for this freedom, she would act as Marati's second. That had been the deal. Marati had done as she promised, but an unexpected event altered her plans: Amrita had planned a trip with a ghoul named Hel. It put her plans into disarray, and put a worry in her head that hadn't been there before: the texts the Patchwork had sent had been desperate. She was at her wits end, and that meant everything was in jeopardy.
She had met Riley a few days later, for the promised one week: but she did not hand over the pendant. She kept it, and explained the situation; right now, it was too dangerous. The pendant would remain in her care until she was certain this whole mess with Amrita was going to blow over. As soon as she could, she would return, and make good on their promise.
It wasn't the most ideal of situations, but it had to happen. Control needed to remain in her claws, or none of this was going to work.
A few weeks had passed. A couple for the trip itself, which was as unpleasant as one would imagine, and a week to ensure that her host wasn't actively trying to ruin her just yet. Only then did she feel safe enough to venture into the forest again. Now, all she had left to do was see if Riley would still be interested in agreeing to the terms, and to bringing up her end of it. It was still rather thrilling, this whole ordeal. It could be as much of a benefit as it could be a threat, but she was certain it would all work in her favour…and it would, one way or another.
So the Black Queen strode to the forest without hesitation, and made her way through it just as easily, walking the same path she had a week ago. When she stopped, it was at the exact place she had been standing when she had shaken Riley's hand. In an arm she held a deep red clipboard folder and a handled mirror, nestled up against her side. Her other hand rested lightly on her hip. She looked around casually, then drew her gaze towards a fixed spot, where she felt his energy.
"Riley." She said in way of greeting. "My sincere apologies for the wait." Despite her station, she offered a small bow.
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 9:47 pm
Riley had all but gone mad in waiting, but the unexpected appearance of the last person she'd ever wanted to see had lulled her for a small period of time. She'd sated herself on the blood, still dry and caked on her claws, until Amrita finally returned.
She was curled up at the top branch of a tree when she heard the woman call her. She was right below her tree, waiting with an apology and a bow; she might as well have been a siren call, and her reward was the way Riley dropped down from the tree in one jump, landing on all fours in front of her.
Riley straightened up slowly, inches away from the woman, until she was standing proud and tall, despite how much blood she sported. It was splattered against her chest and clothes. It caked every one of her tentacles, her claws, her feet. And somehow, there was even a splash of it across the flat plane of her face, though that one looked more painted on. It was war paint, but with true blood. Riley had been naughty.
Apology accepted. She hissed her, her voice just barely starting to lose its humanoid quality.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 6:54 pm
Marati appraised the creature that landed before her, taking note of the blood splatters and the change in tone. While her appraisal was obvious, her thoughts on the matter were not, at least not obviously. At least Riley seemed to have come out on top. That part was good.
"You've been busy." She commented idly, a small hint of amusement at the edge of her voice. "Student?" She half guessed, half probed.
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:32 am
Riley's expression lifted, the muscles that would have created a smile clearly tightening under her skin. Yes. He was delicious. And now he'll never stop looking over his shoulder again. How wonderful that you have come just in time to give me a new face, then. Perhaps the wait was worth it, after all.
No. It wasn't. She was going mad.
I assume you brought me what you've promised?
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:53 pm
"Indeed." The patchwork gave a small, amused sigh. As though she were a parent, amused at a child's antics but not entirely sure what to make of it. She certainly waited too long, it seemed…but she had little choice in the matter, and that was regrettable. Now, at least, they could get back to business, and hopefully, bring back a little controlled civility. For now.
The question brought her back, her gaze shifting from the blood trophies and to the white eyed gaze of the demon.
"I have indeed." She confirmed with a nod and a small smile. Her free hand disappeared into her jacket and reappeared a moment later, something clasped in her black fingers. The chain followed as she extended her closed fingers to the demon, her fingers unravelling one by one to show the spider pendant, sitting comfortably on her dark palm.
"As promised: the ability to walk freely, in exchange for your allegiance." The smile she had once given was gone, and her tone turned serious. There was no need for the sweet act, at least right now. This was business of course, pure and simple; an alliance between two powers.
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Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 11:49 pm
Riley's entire body shuddered with delight when the pendant was exposed and extended out for her to view. Her body slid closer, never quite right as it moved in odd, sinuous shifts. Her claws opened and closed, aching to touch it.
My agreement still stands. She offered, slowly holding her hands out for the pendant. As long as it works. She was ready. She'd been ready. She wanted back into the fresh, beating heart of society; to taste it's naivety and feed off of the innocence, in the hopes it would sate her bloodlust as it once had before. Give it to me. She demanded, the sinister hiss evident in her voice. Riley was not - would never be - one to beg.
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 7:52 am
Marati only smiled. Of course it worked. She had worn it herself several times, and would bet a great deal on it working the same for Riley. She said nothing so far, and her only movement was to press the pendant into Riley's hand. Her own slid away, leaving the chain to dangle over the demon's claws. It was only when Riley began to move that she spoke:
"I have some small details to go over with you, before your long awaited return. Once you understand and have adjusted, we will leave this forest together." She then made a small gesture, inviting Riley to wear the pendant. Should she do as bid, Marati would watch the transformation happen with a marked interest. When it was over, and Riley no longer looked like herself, she smiled.
The handheld mirror was pulled from where it nestled against her, and then it turned outwards, allowing the mind flayer to see her brand new reflection.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 2:28 am
Few things managed to peak Riley's interest more than blood anymore, but the curiosity that the item in the woman's hand spurred within her was winning her over with each second that passed. She snatched the item up and backed away, using her other hand to tear the nasty, useless pin against her chest off of her. If she was going to do this, she was not going to hide behind layers and layers of masks.
Her face was already writhing and breaking with her own natural form's transformation before she'd ever put the pendant on. When she secured it around her neck, her skin and bones continued to move and shape itself into something foreign, even to her. She screamed, but it wasn't from pain. There was triumph in her scream, blasting up into the sky despite there being no actual sound emitted from her. When her head tilted back down and the creature loomed with sinister movements above Amrita's head, she tested out the feel of sharp, moving appendages as they clawed at the ground. So many. Riley hissed, stabbing at the dirt over and over.
Amrita's mirror was ignored at first, as Riley explored her new body by feel, but she eventually picked up the pin that she'd cast aside and held it between her fingers. She'd graduated long ago; using the pin was nothing but a formality, now. Her new eyes closed, and her body shrunk down to a two-legged, more acceptable humanoid form without it's aid.
Now, she used the mirror, to take a good, hard look at herself. The transformation was flawless, and undetectable.
"Extraordinary." She hissed out, sucking in a breath as the lips in the mirror moved with each word. "Quite extraordinary."
She seemed content to stare at her new features, running her hands down the black skin of her face over and over.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 8:29 pm
The Black Queen watched the transformation in marked interest. As the humanoid turned to natural form, only to be ripped into something new halfway through. The adjustment was hideous, and the rearranging of features even mores, and yet she found the whole thing strangely beautiful. There was something almost poetic about the process. When the lethal appendages clawed at the ground around her, she stayed still. No matter how close they came to touching her, she did not flinch. Instead she watched, transfixed to the horror, proud of her part in it, and eager to call this creature one of her own.
"You are, yes." Marati agreed with a smile, continuing to hold out the mirror to let her admire herself, and to touch her new face. She let the novelty continue for a few moments, being patient as ever to allow her newest companion to get used to themselves. Then, when she felt enough time had passed, she began to speak again:
"Your given name is Tajana. You may choose a last name, if you even want one. I will be referring to you as such from now on, unless I am assured of our privacy. You are a returning student who graduated five years ago, and you're looking to substitute teach some classes. You've been staying in room 506 of the Demon dorms for a couple of weeks now." As she spoke, she held the mirror out to Riley. If the newly reformed Demon did not take it, she would simply tuck it back against her arm in favour of the folder-clipboard.
"You've met a handful of students now, I've written down as much about them and their interactions with you as I could." The black clipboard of information was then handed out to the Drider.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:32 pm
"Tajana." Riley tested the name on her new tongue. It tasted like deception, and she turned all of her eyes down to the woman who'd given her it, and smiled a sinister, knowing smile. "As you say, Amrita." Their names were just masks now, and she called her Amrita as if to accept her own name, and the subterfuge involved in calling each other the names that the rest of the world would hear. She winced slightly at the idea of teaching classes, but she was not going to be ungrateful. This was all she could have asked for, just as it was. To slide back under the radar and under the skin, harmless and undetected until it was far, far too late.
She took the mirror in her hand, and returned to admiring herself in it until the clipboard was held out to her. She stabbed the clipboard with one of her back appendages, and held it up to her face. The information was dry, and unamusing, but the names and descriptions were of the most importance to her. She did not want to bump into someone she'd already met, just to have to feign memory loss.
The idea revolted her, for several obvious reasons.
"I have it." She'd flipped through all of the pages quickly, but every single word had been instantly memorized from the moment it was seen. "Now, I have a question for you." The mirror was finally lowered, and she looked at the woman once more. "Isn't there some message you'd wish I spread through the school? Some subtle nudge of preparation, in order to make these cattle more susceptible to your desires when your time comes to strike?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 9:57 pm
Marati smiled at the name of her host and her cover, understanding what it meant, and accepting it for what it was. The Demon's question kept them on track, and she was happy enough to supply her answer.
"All they need to know for now is what I can offer them." She started with a small smile. "I'm offering a place to belong. A family. A group. Safety, and security. The ability to be yourself." There was a small pause as she gazed at Riley, who was now Tajana. "-For everyone else to be themselves-" And the same went for her as well. The pair of them, promising what neither could have. "And a place to come into their power, and to thrive." A dark hand came up, brushing her long braid back over her shoulder. "But if you believe them to be wanting more, then by all means, let them know that I will help them achieve their full potential. In either case, all I ask is that they join me, and place their trust in me. If I can provide it, I will give them what they want, but they must ally themselves with me to get it." It went unsaid that those who chose to go against her, would also be denied the benefits of her friendship, so to speak. And due to her nature, once lost, her favour would never be recovered.
"If you are unsure of them, you are also free to mention Nightshade to them. A group that keeps those involved informed of the going-ons between the factions. It is an option for those who do not trust Amityville, but do not wish to side with the Humans or the Horsemen. If anything we could gain some allies there." She was musing now, her gaze lifted to stare at the dark canopy of trees. "I am in the process of seeking out those who once dwelled in my Kingdom, and some have flocked to me due to my host's generosity. All we need now are the lost little lambs, and a little patience."
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 4:33 am
Riley was entirely too pleased with Marati's answer, but expressing the pleasure on her face was foreign to her, and her mouth showed a little too much fang to look anything but menacing. She was going to have to work on that.
"I understand." Riley offered. And she did. She understood quite well, given the information the woman offered to her. Riley was well versed in the subtleties of manipulation; Marati had chosen well.
It felt like slipping into a well worn coat. Her shoulders fell back, and her body shifted away from the feral, tight poise of a predator, into something more like the woman who'd gone to Amityville long ago. Was it truly that long? It felt like ages, but couldn't have been more than a year or two, at most. That world, long lost to her, was returning to her clutches in inches. The regal haughtiness returned to her figure, and her toothy smile disappeared.
But within, the hunger still burned.
"When is my scheduled return?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 9:31 pm
Marati knew that Riley would understand. There was a reason she had wanted the Demon on her side, and it went deeper than simple being two different sorts of parasites. So far, she was thrilled with the opportunity she had been given, and how well it seemed to be working thus far. She had certainly made a fantastic choice.
"Riley will, unfortunately, have to wait. As for Tajana, it would be my honour to escort you back into Amityville." There was still a bit of a walk to get back to the grounds, but she imagined it would feel like nothing to the Demon, and yet too long at the same time. She turned as though to begin the walk out of the forest, but she paused mid stride, and instead half turned back towards the Demon.
"Oh, one more thing before we go: The only thing I could not safely test was how the artifact holds up in battle. You and I can test that at a later date, and I trust you will keep your more…lethal habits in check until then." Despite the feral attributes she had witnessed, she felt she could trust her to do as requested; especially when the promise of an eventual evaluation was given. After all, she had - more or less - kept herself in check all this time. What was a little longer? "And I will need your help to keep an eye on my dear host, once you are better situated in your dorms. She has become something of a pest to me as of late, and one we will need to contain until there is nothing of her left." The more she spoke about Amrita, the more her tone changed. It grew darker, twisting with sinister intent, and a rather clear bitterness.
It vanished quickly however, the darkness in her tone dissipating almost immediately, replaced by something more light. More Amrita.
"We have a few days until then, of course. We can worry about her then. But now, more importantly:" She made a gesture towards the invisible path she had taken to get to this meeting place. The one that would lead them both back to Amityville. "Let's go home."
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Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 4:37 am
She almost cracked when Marati reminded her to tame her lethal habits, but she knew she could find ways around the limit should her need become too great - Tajana, however, would remain clean as a whistle. Besides, she was sure she could wait until after they'd tested the artifact together. She'd been so well sated by Yuki the day before. His timing had been impeccable.
Her new red eyes glimmered with curiosity when Marati's demeanor changed. Was Amrita becoming more trouble than the woman could handle? She shuddered at the realization that there was some strange, distant pride in that fact, and pushed it aside as quickly as possible.
"Home." Riley- Tajana sneered, disgusted by the word. She stared at the path, and imagined Amity far up ahead, waiting with it's friendly, open arms. She imagined herself breaking those arms off, one by one.
And she smiled. "Where the heart is." The word heart had come out in a growl, and it was the last Marati would hear of the dripping evil her voice had normally contained. When she spoke next, it was lighter. More even. More controlled. "Lead the way."
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Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 10:30 pm
With that simple request, Marati lead Riley forward. Together, they exited the forest, and with that last step into Amityville, they became their personas.
Amrita and Tajana made their way across the grounds to the Demon Dorms, talking quietly between themselves the whole way.
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